our own, and to
consider that our common country must be protected. It is not a
Samnite or Tuscan foe we are engaged with, so that the empire taken
from us might still continue in Italy. A Carthaginian enemy draws
after him from the remotest regions of the world, from the straits of
the ocean and the pillars of Hercules, a body of soldiers who are not
even natives of Africa, destitute of all laws, and of the condition
and almost of the language of men. Savage and ferocious from nature
and habit, their general has rendered them still more so, by forming
bridges and works with heaps of human bodies; and, what the tongue can
scarcely utter, by teaching them to live on human flesh. What man,
provided he were born in any part of Italy, would not abominate the
idea of seeing and having for his masters these men, nourished with
such horrid food, whom even to touch were an impiety; of fetching laws
from Africa and Carthage; and of suffering Italy to become a province
of the Moors and Numidians? It will be highly honourable, Campanians,
that the Roman empire, sinking under this disastrous defeat, should be
sustained and restored by your fidelity and your strength. I conceive
that thirty thousand foot and four thousand horse may be raised in
Campania. You have already abundance of money and corn. If your zeal
corresponds with your means, neither will Hannibal feel that he has
been victorious, nor the Romans that they have been defeated."

6. After the consul had thus spoken, the ambassadors were dismissed;
and as they were returning home, one of them, named Vibius Virius,
observed, "that the time had arrived at which the Campanians might not
only recover the territory once injuriously taken away by the Romans,
but also possess themselves of the sovereignty of Italy. For they
might form a treaty with Hannibal on whatever terms they pleased; and
there could be no question but that after Hannibal, having put an end
to the war, had himself retired victorious into Africa, and had
withdrawn his troops, the sovereignty of Italy would be left to the
Campanians." All assenting to Vibius, as he said this, they framed
their report of the embassy so that all might conclude that the Roman
power was annihilated. Immediately the commons and the major part of
the senate turned their attention to revolt. The measure, however, was
postponed for a few days at the instigation of the elder citizens. At
last, the opinion of the majority prevailed, tha